I mentioned in a recent post that I thought a writer on an Alan Keyes-related website must be using a refrigerator magnet game with a bunch of conservative catchphrases just jumbled together randomly. A commenter thinks that would make a fun game and I think so too. So all we need is a list of catchphrases used constantly by conservatives. Here are a few that come immediately to mind:
Judicial activism
Judicial tyranny
Culture of death/Culture of life
Support our troops
Smaller government
Academic elite
Cultural elite
Hollywood elite
Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.
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My favorite is "secular media".
I just love to think of the alternative..."religious media".
"Well, there's a chance of rain today because God is crying."
"The San Francisco Giants won in extra innings tonight...let us bow our heads in prayer."
There's always the popular "personal responsibility," except when it applies to them, of course.
anything that contradicts their religious view is "moral relativism"
"tax and spend liberal"
ohh and the lovely "card carrying" prefix, usually in regard to the ACLU.
Mainstream Media (MSM)
Teach the Controversy
Communist Agenda
Constitutional Originalist
Junk Science
Anti-Christian Bigotry
America-last (as opposed to America-first)
Michael Moore wannabe
America is a Christian nation
War on Terror
War on Christmas
War on Easter
Soft on Crime
Anti-life
Liberal Screed
Oh, but the religious media do exist! Fortunately they're forced to the margins for the most part, but every now and then someone like Pat Robertson will stick his stupid little head out and say something so outlandish that the mainstream media feel the need to cover it.
My additions:
-gay agenda
-sanctity of marriage
-war on _________
-michigan civil rights initiative (pretty personal and state-specific objection, because they have a bullseye on my alma mater)
-indoctrination (in re higher educaton)
-Every other phrase Ann Coulter writes (maybe more like 60-65% of the phrases she writes)
This is enough to get started. Playing the game I get:
Gay troops
Religious government
Culture of government
This seems oddly insightful. I don't think I want to play any more.
Ethan, you're playing it wrong. It's the whole phrase on each magnet.
Damn. Most of my ideas were in Capt. Rational's post.
"The San Francisco Giants won in extra innings tonight...let us bow our heads in prayer."
You can count on any religious news outlet to be anti-Giants. The World Series will never again make it to the City of the Gays! 2002 was a fluke! See what is happening because we are allowing the homosexual agenda to run rampant? It was the gays that forced Barry Bonds to inject himself with steroids!
Don't forget the classics:
War Is Peace
Freedom Is Slavery
Ignorance Is Strength
Tree hugger(s)
"Radical" _______ (i.e. any philosophy/idea with which they disagree)
Life begins at conception
Unborn children/babies
'Compassionate Conservative'. Oh, sorry - must've got caught in a time warp for a minute there..
east coast/west coast liberal
death tax
godless
treason
slander, etc.
UnAmerican
Patriot
Unpatriotic
Right thinking
Darwinist
Islamofacist
Homeland Security
Think of the childern
Pro-Family
Family Values
Unelected Judge
There are so many more. I will have to think about it over night.
A few more:
-family values
-our children
-our tax dollars
-our freedom
-tradition (especially when things like science run counter to it)
-terri schiavo (still at it!)
-(secular) humanism (as a religion)
-morals (theirs)
-integrity
I think we have a good list of nouns/noun-adjective pairs here, but we could use some verbs to achieve the full effect of refrigerator magnets. Their potential uses should be pretty obvious.
-undermine
-attack
-protect
-support
-destroy
I'm spent. Anyone want to make some complete sentences now?
The War On Falafels
Radical Falafel Agenda
Cultural Loofah Falafels
9/11
Secularist/Secular liberal/Secular humanist
Aid and comfort
The Enemy
Beyond the pale
Fair and balanced
9/11!
9/11!
9/11!
I'm not sure I should even bother, considering my lovely reception at PZ's blog a couple weeks ago, but while there's a lot of good stuff here (especially the anti-theocracy and the anti-specifically-bush crap), there's a lot that I don't get.
What exactly is wrong with being a Constitutional Originalist? What's wrong with believing in a limited government and in the idea that liberty doesn't happen by taking rights away from everyone? Do the ideas of FA Hayek, Mises, and other have so little merit that they can simply be summarily dismissed while all the failures of governments founded upon the principle of positive liberty can be simply paved over?
You guys see the State in an enabling role. The founding fathers didn't, which is why phrases saying what the state is NOT allowed to do appear so many dang times. Pretty critical difference there. Granted, Republicans see it in an enabling role as well, which is why I decided not to join that party before the first election I was eligible for rolled around.
Furthermore, I saw 'Think of the Children' up there. LOLOLOLOL. You guys do know what your anti-gunnies sound like right?
oh and what else do you call it but judicial activism when a Judge makes a decision that is clearly, blatantly out of line with the founders' intent? I'm pretty sure if there were any doubts that Marbury v. Madison clearly delineated the role of the Supreme Court what? 200 years ago?
As people much more eloquent and smarter than me have stated, the law loses its meaning when the intent of its originators ceases to be followed. Yet that is what a lot of these so-called judges do.
Personally I can see alot wrong with being a Constitutional Originalist. As a female I am delighed to be able to vote, and I'm glad my black friends can too. I guess the founders just didn't consider that. As well, they couldn't foresee what our country has become. But they were smart enough to realize it would change and thoughfully put in the ninth amendment.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
You see, they expected change. I seriously doubt that they expected judges in the 21st century to consider the founders when dealing with issues like Terri Shaivo. Who would have imagined in the 17th century that we could keep people alive like that? The founders set it up so that law could grow and change along with the country and I find it ridiculous that there is a segment of society that don't realize that.
Judeo-Christian X (values, civilization, etc)
Demographic Suicide (in Europe)
Pork Barrel spending......funny you don't hear about that so much any more from the "conservatives"
You guys have hit all the really good ones already, but these are some of my favorites:
abortionist (meaning anyone who is pro-choice)
abortion on demand
pro-abortion
condoms in schools (or, better, I've seen "condoms in kindergarten")
In the spirit of this post, check out the Autorantic Virtual Moonbat
Hit "Rant."
So I took 30 of the above phrases, then used an on-line random number generator to mix them up, then joined them together semi-coherently and came up whith this gem....
Anti-Christian Bigotry is the default position of the Darwinist, who despite their true Patriot claims, are in fact in diammetric opposition to all this country stands for. No better is the spectre of Judicial activism, which continues in failing to recognize the basic fact that America is a Christian nation. Todays Court is just a tool of the Cultural elite.
The Anti-life zealots are acting in a manner consistant with their Atheistic foundation, and the left's cry as to why we on the right no longer talk about Smaller government is answered by the fact that we have more important moral issues to attend. Queer people want special rights to do the same as normal people for instance, and that has to stop! For Right thinking people, the War on Christmas and the Judicial tyranny that allows it to continue are clear evidence this country has lost it foundational roots. It's seen as UnAmerican to be a Constitutional Originalist these days, but what could possibly be more American I say.
It's the Liberal agenda that supports Junk Science like Devil-ution when it should be used to Support our troops. The Academic elite with their Communist Agenda and their rabid support for the Culture of death by using the useful idiot in the form of the Unelected Judge to erode Family Values has got to stop now! Think of the children!
The supposed War on Easter is a fiction to detract from the real issues, maintained by the liberal Hollywood elite, known to be effete and Soft on Crime, just look at those LA trials of Simpson and Blake. Homeland Security should be our only concern, and the Michael Moore wannabe should be deported just as all illegal immigrants should be. The War on Terror is never ending, and can only end by the elimination of the Islamofacist faction that continues to foster liberal leftie and from whose teats they suckle.
Teach the Controversy!
There's still plenty more:
-- protecting marriage
-- marriage is a sacrament
-- latte-sipping (fill in the blank)
-- brie-and-cheese eating (fill in the blank)
-- America-hating (fill in the blank)
-- n*gger-loving (fill in the blank) (OK, that one takes us back a ways)
-- man-hating (fill in the blank)
-- radical feminist agenda
-- It's your money
-- PC (fill in the blank)
-- state monopoly on education
-- commander-in-chief
In fairness, how about some catch-phrases from the other side?
-- Bible-beating/thumping
-- anti-choice
-- back-alley butcher
-- American Taliban
-- theocon
With us.
Against Us.
I may have missed them, the list is getting quite long, but:
-Liberal Media
-Liberal weenie
-Compassionate Conservative
-Slick Willy
-Tax Cut
-Death Tax
Here's an ancient one ... "Voodoo Economics," course they probably wouldn't want to talk about this one considering the've adopted it as their economic mainstay.
-Trickle down economics (equally old)
-Supply side economics
As for the Constitutional Originalism, I find these arguments amusing given that so many of those who advocate this stance have no problem with court rulings they agree with that, according to their own rules would go beyond the limits of the courts.
"Democratic Conservatism" (read theocratic fascism)
"Will of the People" (used by Cons only when a court overturns legislation that unconstitutionally derprived people of their reserved rights that Cons liked- like Ed mentioned yesterday, we won't hear this whine regarding the will of the people expressed in rights to use marijuana or securing their right to assissted suicide).
I'm not sure I should even bother, considering my lovely reception at PZ's blog a couple weeks ago, but while there's a lot of good stuff here (especially the anti-theocracy and the anti-specifically-bush crap), there's a lot that I don't get.
What exactly is wrong with being a Constitutional Originalist? What's wrong with believing in a limited government and in the idea that liberty doesn't happen by taking rights away from everyone? Do the ideas of FA Hayek, Mises, and other have so little merit that they can simply be summarily dismissed while all the failures of governments founded upon the principle of positive liberty can be simply paved over?
Speaking as someone who agrees with Ed Brayton on about 99% of all political questions, I have to say taht there *is* a lot here you don't get. Mr. Brayton is a libertarian, a firm supporter of smaller government, and -- to the extent that such terms have much meaning anymore -- he is also a constitutional originalist. Hayek and Mises? Great stuff. (Darwin too, of course.) What, I have to ask, gave you any impression to the contrary?
Now PZ, on the other hand, he's in quite a different political camp. I tend to like PZ's writings on religion, while disagreeing with him on politics. Brayton has had sharp disagreements with him on both.
Really, what's not to like here? I'm puzzled.
Commisar writes:
Ah, see, that is exactly what I had in mind. It's very much like the postmodern essay generator, which is brilliant.
I got one:
gun grabbers
(I fully support gun rights, by the way)
Hollyweird
murderers of the preborn
emasculated (as in the US)
feminized (again, referring to the US)
feminazis
born again